Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, there was a little white hen. One day she was busily engaged in scratching the soil to find worms and insects for her breakfast.
Once upon a time there was a beautiful garden in which grew all sorts of fruits. Many beasts lived in the garden and they were permitted to eat of the fruits whenever they wished.
Once upon a time the tiger sent an invitation to the goat asking the goat to accompany him on a visit.
Once upon a time the monkey made the tiger very angry. This is how it happened.
Once upon a time the monkey was hungry. He wanted to make some porridge, but he did not have any money to buy meal to make the porridge.
Perhaps you do not know it, but the monkeys think that all the bananas belong to them. When Brazilian children eat bananas they say, "I am a monkey."
Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, people ate fruits and nuts. Then there came a time when the fruits and nuts became scarce.
Once upon a time the monkey and the rabbit made a contract. The monkey was to kill all the butterflies and the rabbit was to kill all the snakes.
One often hears the saying that one cannot make black white or white black. I said something about it once upon a time to my Brazilian ama and she stared at me in surprise.
Once upon a time there was a father with three sons who had reached the age when they must go out into the world to earn their own living.
Years and years ago at the very beginning of time, when the world had just been made, there was no night.
Once upon a time there was a little princess who lived in a magnificent royal palace.
Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, the rabbit had a long tail, but the cat had none. She looked with envious eyes at the one which the rabbit had.
In Brazil the beetles have such beautifully coloured, hard-shelled coats upon their backs that they are often set in pins and necklaces like precious stones.
Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, the toad had a smooth skin. In those days he was a great gad about.
Once upon a time, ages and ages ago, so long ago that the tiger had no stripes upon his back and the rabbit still had his tail, there was a tiger who had a farm.
Once upon a time there was a little lamb frisking gaily about the pasture. The bright sunshine and the soft breezes made him very happy.
Once upon a time there was a large handsome stag with great branching horns. One day he said to himself, "I am tired of having no home of my own, and of just living anywhere.
CHAPTER I
The abbot of the Monastery of Moville sent word to the story-tellers of Ireland that when they were in his neighbourhood they should call at the monastery, for he wished to collect and write down the stories which were in danger of being forgotten.
CHAPTER I
There are more worlds than one, and in many ways they are unlike each other.